Description
Critical care nurses (also called intensive care nurses) are licensed
professionals who work with critically ill patients and their families
throughout the patient’s hospital stay. This specialty requires a willingness
to master the complex technologies that come with acute care services, plus the
people skills necessary to comfort and support people under the immense stress
that comes from life-threatening situations.
The majority of critical care nurses practice within a hospital setting.
Intensive care nursing jobs are typically inside intensive-care units (ICUs),
pediatric ICUs, neonatal ICUs, cardiac care units, cardiac catheter labs,
telemetry units, progressive care units, emergency departments and recovery
rooms. A growing number of critical care nurses are employed by home health,
managed care organizations, nursing schools, outpatient surgery centers,
clinics and flight units.
Responsibilities
As with any form of nursing, critical care nurses are advocates for patients and
families. The critical care environment adds to these responsibilities by also
requiring specialized knowledge of the complex assessment, high intensity
technologies, therapies and interventions, and life-and-death decisions that
are the norm in a critical care environment.
Bedside clinicians, educators, researchers, managers, clinical specialists, and
nurse practitioners all can have critical care responsibilities. There are a
number of degree programs that certify advanced practice nurses in this area,
including Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) and Acute-Care Nurse Practitioners
(ACNPs). Some states even allow direct financial reimbursement for these
services, similar to payment for physicians.
Specialties
Critical care nursing includes the sub-specialties of adult, pediatric, and
neonatal nursing practices, as well as cardiac, burn and trauma intensive care.
CNS specialists concentrate on identifying clinical problems and deliver direct
patient care. They can assess and diagnose critical care situations. ACNPs are
trained to make clinical acute-care decisions. They concentrate on health
history, risk appraisal, diagnostic testing and treatment. They also may be
licensed to prescribe medication.
Education and Qualification
Critical care nursing jobs require, at a minimum, that the candidate be a
registered nurse, with an appropriate associates, bachelors or advanced degree
strongly preferred. Most critical care nurses find that they need additional
training to handle the demands of the job. Many also pursue advanced degrees or
critical care certifications, such as Certified Critical Care Nursing (CCRN),
in order to improve their skills and increase their career possibilities.
Specific requirements vary from state to state, which is why many critical care
nurses choose to receive advanced training through their employer.
Associations and Publications
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
101 Columbia
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656-1491
800-899-2226
949-362-2000
E-Mail: info@aacn.org
Web site: http://www.aacn.org
Society of Critical Care Medicine
8101 East Kaiser Boulevard, 3rd Floor
Anaheim, CA 92808-2259
877-291-7226
312-601-4500
Fax: (312) 601-4501
E-Mail: info@sccm.org
Web site: http://www.sccm.org
AACN Clinical Issues: Advanced Practice in Acute & Critical Care
http://www.aacn.org/
AACN News
http://www.aacn.org
American Journal of Critical Care(r)
http://www.aacn.org
Critical Care Nurse Journal
http://www.critical-care-nurse.org
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